What to Wear

Your Nationals Wardrobe will set the tone for the entire week. It’s important to be comfy, but cute, and to dress according to the various events and activities you will be participating in throughout the competition. There are plenty of ways to piece your wardrobe together stress free!

1. It is completely fine to reuse pieces you wore in your state pageant.

2. Finding the right jewelry and shoes to accessorize will make the perfect outfit!

3. Be confident in your clothes!

Here are a few ideas and examples of my wardrobe to help you decide what to wear during the week of Nationals:

1. Plane ride/arrival.

I chose to wear a bright colored dress. Wear something comfortable for the plane and car ride but make sure it’s cute and stands out. I wore wedges, but kept a spare pair of sandals for the walks from gate to gate in the airport.

2. Orientation.

I chose to wear a turquoise fit and flare dress. It is my favorite style of dress and my favorite color. It is important to choose something that expresses who you are because this is the first time you will meet all of your fellow delegates. As you can see in the photo, I chose an outfit that looked more Teen, while my Arkansas sister queen, Ciara chose a Miss look. There will be a little bit of everything at Orientation.

3. Day Out.

This is definitely a day you need to be all about comfort! There will be a lot of walking and stairs. Wearing a romper kept me cool and I didn’t have to worry about packing another outfit with multiple pieces. I started off the day in wedges, but I quickly switched to sandals. During one portion of our day out we went through a CPR class and made blankets for the Children’s hospital, both of these activities required us to sit in the floor, so this might give you something to think about if you’re planning on wearing a dress. Remember to take a bag with you during your day out to keep a spare pair of shoes, maybe even an umbrella just in case, and any other necessary items. It will be a long week full of heels, so you don’t want to tire out your feet just yet!

4. Photo night.

Really, you can go any way you’d like on photo night. You are welcome to choose a two piece, high low, ball gown, mermaid, etc. My dress had a train, so I found it a little difficult to cross the street to the theater. You also need to make sure your dress is the right length with the heels you choose to wear because you don’t want to trip on it.

5. Interview.

I chose a tailored, hot pink dress with a rhinestone neckline. This is the first time the judges will see you in competition so it’s important to make an impact. Try not to draw attention to your feet, so try to stay away from black or bright colored shoes for this phase of competition. When you walk up to their table you don’t want the judges to be staring at your feet. Also, try to look your age. I tried to choose something that put off a mature, teen vibe.

6. Rehearsal after interview.

Afternoon- I stuck with a floral, summery dress with fun shoes. Remember to take a bag with all of your competition shoes, so you can practice and get the fill for the stage.

Night- After coming back to the hotel for dinner, I changed into a comfortable warm up and tennis shoes. You, along with your feet will be tired so this is your chance to get comfortable.

7. Judges rehearsal.

There is a rehearsal that judges will be attending, so it is important for you to stand out! As you can see Miss Teen East Coast, Serena and I chose to wear bright colors! I also wore this to and from Preliminaries Thursday night, but it is up to you if you would like to wear something different.

8. Teen Free-day.

On Friday, it is up to you if you would like to spend your free-day resting or touring Jacksonville. I actually have family in Jacksonville who hosted me to lunch!

9. Miss Prelims.

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You can wear any type of gown or short dress as long as it is formal. You will be getting in and out of isles and sitting in a chair for a few hours. My ball gown was a little difficult fitting into the isles but it was comfortable to sit in.

10. Morning of Finals rehearsal.

I wore a pinstripe jump suit, and I apologize for my hair! Thomas and Drew were in the middle of fixing it for Finals! The reason I chose something strapless is because, Thomas and Drew were pulling girls out of rehearsal to do their hair and make-up, so I knew I would have to wear something that was easy to get off without going over my head. Anytime you go get your hair, make-up, or spray tan done it is important that you wear something cute but easy to remove without messing up your artist’s hard work.

11. Finals.

If you are in the top 5 in your division, you are required to wear your competition gown to the coronation ball. If you are not in the top five, you are still welcome to wear your gown or change into a different dress of your choice.

And last, but certainly not least, the most valuable piece of your wardrobe is your bright smile! Judges will be in the hotel lobby and are always watching, so show your pearly whites at all times!